"Brother Yang, what grudge do you have with Duan Langcai? He's actually willing to trade a three-star weapon for your life?" Lü Xiaohu looked at Yang Zhen curiously.
"You're not thinking of trading my head for a three-star weapon too, are you?"
"Of course not, don't misunderstand!" Lü Xiaohu hurriedly waved his hands. "I, Lü Xiaohu, may not be a good man, but I'd never betray someone like that. Now that we've met, anyone who wants your life will have to answer to the Clear Sky Hammer in my hand!"
"The Clear Sky Hammer?" Yang Zhen was taken aback.
Mortal-grade weapons on the Youzhou Continent were divided into nine stars, and each additional star brought a tremendous increase in power.
Every star-ranked weapon had attributes that enhanced it. Even the lowest, one-star weapons were powerful weapons engraved with formations to boost their power.
It was said that nine-star weapons could shake heaven and earth, possessing enough power to blast a mountain peak apart with a single strike.
Yang Zhen had never seen such a terrifying star-ranked weapon. Those who possessed one were without exception powerful beings who held sway over a region of the Youzhou Continent.
As for weapons beyond nine stars, those were the stuff of legend. Let alone seeing one, Yang Zhen had never even heard of a weapon that had surpassed the nine-star category.
Ordinary sabers and swords had no names at all. Once a weapon had a name, it was at least a one-star weapon. The chubby Lü Xiaohu's Clear Sky Hammer was probably a star-ranked weapon.
Lü Xiaohu chuckled, immensely pleased with himself. Raising the enormous hammer in his hand, which gave off a faint glow, he said, "My Clear Sky Hammer is only a one-star weapon, but it's already incredibly powerful. I may have only just reached Foundation Establishment, but with this Clear Sky Hammer, ordinary cultivators at the second or third level of the Foundation Establishment Realm are no match for me!"
"Impressive, impressive!" Yang Zhen looked curiously at the Clear Sky Hammer in Lü Xiaohu's hand. "Can I take a look?"
Lü Xiaohu hesitated for a moment, then handed it to Yang Zhen. "Be careful. Don't damage the formation inside it. I spent three years' worth of crystal stone savings to buy it."
Yang Zhen curled his lip. As soon as he took the Clear Sky Hammer in hand, he felt a terrifying force coming from it and was immediately startled.
It truly lived up to its name as a star-ranked weapon. Even at one star, it contained fluctuations of power that amazed Yang Zhen.
After returning the Clear Sky Hammer to Lü Xiaohu, Yang Zhen asked, "Are star-ranked weapons hard to come by?"
"Brother Yang, you're from the Shangyuan Sect. Haven't you seen a star-ranked weapon before?" Lü Xiaohu asked in surprise. "Star-ranked weapons are hard to come by, but you can still buy one if you have enough crystal stones. The hardest to find are naturally star-ranked weapons. They're made from exceptionally rare materials and are star-ranked as soon as they're forged, without any need to engrave formations on them. If a suitable formation is engraved on one, though, it becomes extraordinary-at least a three-star weapon or higher."
Only then did Yang Zhen realize how precious a three-star weapon was. Duan Langcai really was willing to pay a hefty price.
"They say that if someone captures you alive, they'll get three thousand crystal stones on top of the three-star weapon. Just how did you offend Duan Langcai?" The flames of Lü Xiaohu's desire for gossip burned fiercely.
Yang Zhen waved a hand without answering. He was tempted to carry his own head to Duan Langcai in exchange for the three-star weapon and three thousand crystal stones. With such lavish spending, Yang Zhen wouldn't believe Duan Langcai didn't have the Sword Attendant Sect backing him, even if he were beaten to death.
But since Duan Langcai dared to be so shameless, Yang Zhen was no doll molded from mud either. After parting ways with Lü Xiaohu, he found a forested mountain area seldom visited by people and secluded himself to cultivate.
The Youzhou Grand Assembly's trial would begin in two days. Its location was a great mountain range in the northwest of the Youyang Kingdom, called the Nine Nether Mountain Range. Much of it was wild land, fraught with danger, but it also held countless heavenly materials and earthly treasures. It was said to contain a heaven-grade inheritance as well, and it opened only during the annual Youzhou Grand Assembly.
Over those two days, Yang Zhen cultivated the Three Origins Ghost Shadow Sword to the pinnacle of mastery. The three origins converged overhead, and a hundred ghosts roamed the night. Terrifying waves of force rolled forth like billowing smog, so thick one couldn't see one's own hand, striking terror into the heart. The wails of ghosts and howls of demons rang out ceaselessly within, disturbing cultivators' minds. It truly was a powerful martial technique.
There was nothing remarkable about the cultivation methods and martial techniques he had obtained from the Black Nightmare Sect and Demonic Sect disciples. Yang Zhen did not cultivate them, but committed them to memory instead.
To Yang Zhen's pleasant surprise, the cultivation method Little Witch Zhen Ping'er had given him shared the same essence as the one Jie Gang had given him. He fused them into a terrifying fist technique called the Heavenly Demon Gang Fist. It had nine levels in all, each more terrifying than the last.
News that Yang Zhen had appeared at the Youzhou Grand Assembly spread like wildfire, and countless cultivators grew eager. After all, a three-star weapon and three thousand crystal stones were an enormous sum to them.
More and more people began asking about Yang Zhen's whereabouts. For a time, a strange atmosphere settled over the entire Youzhou Grand Assembly, as people rubbed their fists and palms, looking as though they would not rest until they caught him.
Yet Yang Zhen was like a night-blooming flower: he had appeared once to register, then never showed himself again.
Boom!
Earth and rocks burst into the air as terrifying waves of force surged and rolled, radiating violent power in every direction.
Amid the shattering rocks stood a bare-chested figure radiating a terrifying presence. Terrifying forces surged through his body, his eyes flashed like lightning, and his might was plain to see.
"Is this the power of the Foundation Establishment Realm?"
Yang Zhen clenched his fists, a wicked smile appearing at the corners of his mouth. "Youzhou Grand Assembly, I, Yang Zhen, am here!"
In the Nine Nether Mountain Range, enormous trees towered into the sky and jagged rocks jutted out everywhere. A wild, ancient atmosphere filled the air, sending chills down the spine.
A group of people walked cautiously along a mountain path. Suddenly, a bearded middle-aged man's eyes lit up, and he cried out, "Thousand Lingzhi! There's actually Thousand Lingzhi here!"
"What?" His short companion's eyes widened. "The legendary Thousand Lingzhi, where one bite is worth a whole day and night of cultivation? There's actually a piece this big here?"
"Th-this... how many crystal stones could this sell for?" The bearded man's voice trembled; he was clearly excited.
The short man curled his lip and said, "What's that worth mentioning? If we find Yang Zhen and capture him alive, not only can we get a three-star weapon, we'll also get three thousand crystal stones. Then the two of us can swagger around Youzhou City as we please."
The group chuckled strangely, breaking into hearty, unrestrained smiles.
Just then, a dark figure suddenly appeared from deep within the mountain forest. "I heard you want to capture Yang Zhen?"
"Who are you?" The bearded man stared warily at the dark figure, secretly signaling to his companions behind him.
Boom!
The dark figure suddenly burst forward at a terrifying speed, charging at the group. Brilliant light erupted from both hands as he struck out with both fists from a distance. Dark light flashed all around, and sand and stones flew through the air.
"Not good!" The bearded man and the others turned pale, their faces filled with horror. "A Foundation Establishment Realm expert!"
Rumble!
With an earth-shaking crash, the dark figure's fists smashed an enormous crater into the ground where the group stood. The bearded man and the others were left in a sorry state, all coughing up blood as they fell.
"Y-you... who are you?"
Yang Zhen emerged from the darkness, swiftly searched the bearded man and the others for everything they carried, and tied them all to trees.
"Tell Duan Langcai to wash his neck clean and wait for me!"
"You're..." The bearded man and the short man exchanged a glance from their trees and cried out in unison, "You're Yang Zhen?"
"Correct!" Yang Zhen said as he gathered their belongings. "There's no reward, but we can play a game. Whoever tells me the martial techniques they cultivate gets untied. Otherwise, you can stay tied up here for a few days and see whether someone kills you or wild beasts eat you."
"Dream on!" The bearded man spat, putting on a defiant front.
Yang Zhen turned and walked away. "Fine, fine. I don't care for your martial techniques at all, actually. I just have a kind heart and wanted to give you a chance. In that case, goodbye!"
(End of chapter)